ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove!

 Switch
User Score
6.2

Mixed or average reviews- based on 93 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 50 out of 93
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 93
  3. Negative: 36 out of 93
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  1. upThere
    Mar 7, 2019
    7
    Massive fan of the original. Played it co-op many times over with my big sister. This remake does successfully recreate the fun personality, features and systems of the original game, but is not as playable or as well-made. The original game had two invisible, excellent, features - a slower, deliberate pace, and plenty of visual breathing room. In this remake everything slides around fastMassive fan of the original. Played it co-op many times over with my big sister. This remake does successfully recreate the fun personality, features and systems of the original game, but is not as playable or as well-made. The original game had two invisible, excellent, features - a slower, deliberate pace, and plenty of visual breathing room. In this remake everything slides around fast and loose, clamoring to overlap and occupy more of the screen, ruining what made the original so approachable. New features have been added - new biomes, day/night, a stats system and a bigger variety of presents & unlockables add replayability, but the *core game* - the control response, movement, field of view, scale and readability of the enemies' (for dodging), the 'stealth' and 'combat' (sneaking and tomatoes) -- all of these things were great in the original but here they are a hot mess, lively at best but utterly frustrating and unplayable on the harder difficulties. Example - random generation places important objects directly atop eachother - impossible to see clearly and interact deliberately. Most enemy characters are oversized compared to your viewing area, they move fast and their sprites flail around so wildly you can't read and judge their collision area so as to negotiate dangerous situations - late in the game there'll be literally entire screens filled with oversize enemies flailing wildly and you can't hope to see what's coming and avoid it, and don't rely on tomatoes or a slingshot because they aren't easy to aim or satisfying to use. Sure it's a game about funky personalities and weird popculture gags, but the core mechanics have been slapped together with minor consideration for what made the original game so playable underneath it all. It's a damn shame that so many good new ideas have been piled atop a shoddy remake of the core mechanics. This game gets lots of new things right but screwed up what made the original so playable and satisfying. Tons of personality, lacking in basic playability.… Expand
  2. Gamerheadspodca
    Apr 2, 2019
    6
    When playing this game I couldn't help but think back to the good ole days of sitting up in my room, a Dew and Doritos 3D at the ready, just jamming out to the dynamite soundtrack of the original ToeJam & Earl. This newest entry in the series is ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove! and boy is that name fitting. Everything you remember from the original T&E is back, but it’s all cranked up toWhen playing this game I couldn't help but think back to the good ole days of sitting up in my room, a Dew and Doritos 3D at the ready, just jamming out to the dynamite soundtrack of the original ToeJam & Earl. This newest entry in the series is ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove! and boy is that name fitting. Everything you remember from the original T&E is back, but it’s all cranked up to 11. The music is fantastic! The whole time I was playing this game I kept finding myself doing a little jig while sitting on my couch. My girlfriend who normally just falls asleep whenever I play games even pointed out how good the music was.

    The level design is simple but not underwhelming. There are plenty of humans, bushes, houses and random objects for you to interact with throughout the level. You’ll also encounter hidden areas and magically appearing ground that leads you to either a new area or some teleporters.

    The game is simple: you explore an area while finding presents that aid you on your journey while avoiding interaction with humans and trying to find your missing spaceship parts.

    Nostalgia definitely plays a factor when playing T&E:BITG because its roots run deep, but don’t let that fool you. There is still plenty of new features to come with it. There’s also couch co-op that adds a whole other layer to the game. There’s something to say about local co-op modes. There’s nothing I enjoy more than scavenging a torn apart earth, looking for crazy, wacky presents with the people closest to me.

    This game will take you back to a simpler day while still adding to your experience, but it seems like it’s leaving something out. Eventually the environments get stale and the enemies (humans) grow old; not really evolving as you play but rather repeating the same monotonous steps over and over until you find that last spaceship part. The levels change and they even add in different climates but it just feels like it it’s not enough. Each step of the way you’re avoiding humans on the same 3D platform, searching for presents and paying tolls. The characters have a variety of stats but all in all it doesn’t seem to matter, you still end up doing the same thing with all of them.

    Although the game is fun, I couldn’t fully commit to it. It’s not the same level of enjoyment as it once was for me. One might say that it feels like I’ve grown up, and ToeJam & Earl... hasn’t.    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

50
#50 Most Shared Switch Game of 2019

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
75

Generally favorable reviews - based on 22 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 12 out of 22
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 22
  3. Negative: 0 out of 22
  1. Nintendo Force Magazine
    Aug 28, 2019
    65
    ToeJam & Earl's endearing retro motif is right up my alley, but there simply isn't enough charm here to elevate this new entry over its source material. [Issue #39 – May/June 2019, p. 29]
  2. Switch Player
    Apr 18, 2019
    70
    HumaNature have executed the retro revitalisation of ToeJam & Earl exactly in the way that backers will have wanted. Whilst it might not be a revolutionary game in 2019, the updated features and trimmings are more than enough to keep fans of the series happy.
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  3. Pure Nintendo
    Mar 24, 2019
    70
    I do wish the time-honored gameplay was offset a bit more by balanced, polished, and tighter design at times. But if you’re “ready for a blast of funky nostalgia” the sense of déja vu that comes from familiar fun won’t be a negative.
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